The Colorado Re-Engaged (CORE) initiative, created under House Bill 21-1330, allows a four-year institution of higher education (IHE) to award an associate degree to former students who meet eligibility requirements -- including having already earned at least 70 credit hours before stopping-out of a bachelor's program. Under HB21-1330, each…

2024 marked another year of considerable legislative progress by charter school supporters across the country. Advocates notched significant policy wins from coast to coast, including in red, blue, and purple states. This report provides highlights from this year's state legislative activity across the country, organized into the following…

Pursuant to CRS 23-1-141, the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) is required to report on necessary steps and any barriers identified including recommendations for necessary legislative changes to deliver a statewide longitudinal data system in Colorado that connects K-12, postsecondary education and workforce information. This report…

In the 2023 report "Colorado's Longitudinal Data Landscape. Report to the Education Committees of the Colorado House of Representatives and the Colorado Senate. Statute: 23-1-141," the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) provided a detailed overview of Colorado's long history of efforts to support more connected, longitudinal…

In 2023, charter school advocates continued to make legislative gains in statehouses across the country. These gains were made in red, blue, and purple states, oftentimes in ways that showed bipartisan support for charter schools remains firmly in place. In looking at the results of this year's legislative sessions across the country, four…

Significant interruptions to in-person learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic have led to potentially long-lasting negative impacts on student achievement, impacting every part of Colorado education. As cited by the National Student Success Accelerator (NSSA) at Stanford University, a meta-analysis reviewed tutoring interventions that were…

Research indicates that the provision of quality health services in a school setting increases the use of primary care for adolescents. With an ever-changing array of physical and mental health needs for students and staff, state policymakers are adapting comprehensive health supports. This captures a spectrum of student health support elements,…

Advances in state education data systems are helping schools understand and meet the needs of learners from early education through college and the workforce. Each state has adhered to key principles for protecting student data privacy. In the report "Lessons in Data Privacy for Education Leaders. Policy Guide," (ED625423) leading…

School leaders, specifically principals, play a pivotal role in shaping student learning outcomes. The benefits of strong leaders extend beyond academic achievement, such as reductions in absenteeism and exclusionary discipline. While quality principals are critical for creating and sustaining quality schools, the staffing pipeline is facing…

Youth who are impacted by the justice system encounter myriad challenges as they move through and between education and juvenile justice systems. Policymakers play an important role in mitigating these challenges. Challenges include exclusionary discipline practices that increase the likelihood of involvement in the justice system, lack of…

The Foster Care Success Act (House Bill 22-1374) provides funds to both the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) and the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to improve the educational attainment of students in out-of-home placement. The Act requires CDE to identify specific goals for its Foster Care Education Program (FCEP) to achieve…

Despite enacting well-intentioned policies to improve teacher recruitment and retention, many states continue to face significant staffing challenges, particularly in high-need schools and hard-to-staff subjects such as math, science, and special education. Two years ago, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) set out to explore the…

The Innovation Schools Act of 2008, § 22-32.5-102, et seq. C.R.S., was designed to provide a pathway for schools and districts to develop and implement innovative practices in a wide variety of areas and contexts to improve student outcomes. The Act provides a formal process that allows schools or groups of schools to make requests to their local…

In April 2022, HB22-1255, "Concerning Measures to Improve Postsecondary Education Outcomes for Students with Disabilities" was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis. This is the second statewide report to include data on students with disabilities (SWDs). This year would have been the first year for which additional student outcomes…

The U.S. Constitution is the most well-known governing document in the country--studied by students, endlessly interpreted and reinterpreted by judges and political pundits, and placed in the category of near-religious reverence by many Americans. In the last 50 years it has been amended exactly once, in a ratification process that took over 200…